Apparatus and method for removing fluids from wells



Sept. 26, 1933. J. T. SIMMONS APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REMOVING FLUIDS FROM WELLS Filed May 10, 1932 Patented Sept. 26, 1933 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REMOVING FLUIDS FROM WELLS John lT. Simmons, Gladewater, Tex., assig'nor to Simmons Automatic Valve Company, Longview, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application May. 10, 1932. Serial No. 610,365

12 Claims.' (C1. 10s- 233) This invention relates to apparatus and method for removing fluids from wells.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for lifting fluids, such as oil, from deep wells bythe use of low pressure gas, air or other similar lifting fluid.

AAnother object is to provide apparatus whereby the fluid to be lifted may be elevated in stages from above downwardly.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the character described equipped with valves of a novel type arranged to maintain the pressure line closed against the entrance of fluid from the well while the apparatus is being lowered but which will successively open from above downwardly when the pressure fluid is applied through said pressure line.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the character described which can be used in wells having tubing of different sizes, and with or without standing valve, or back pressure valve in the tubing beneath the pressure line.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the character described which is of such construction that the lifting fluid, whether gas or air will at all times be effective to lift the well fluid from the vWell for the reason that the valve through which said lifting fluid is being discharged from the pressure line is always beneath the level of the fluid to be lif-ted in the well.

A still further object is to provide a pressurel comparatively low pressure can be utilized thus,l

making it possible to use inexpensive equipment for supplying the pressure or lifting fluid, and lessening the liability of bursting the pressure line. y 1

With the above and other objects in View this invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein: l y

Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view showing the lower end of the apparatus in a tubingin a well. Figure 2 shows aside View, of -the complete Bussum apparatus in a well, the well tubing and screen being shown partly in section.

Figure 3 shows a fragmentary side elevation of the lower end of the apparatus as located in a well tubing which is equipped with a standing valve and is shown in section. v

-Figure 4l shows a longitudinal, sectional view of a valve mechanismv employed, and

Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view taken on the une 5 5 of Figure 4. 65

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 designates the well tubingA which may have a screen 2 at its lower -end and, if desired, the 70 tubing 1 may have a. standing valve 3 above the screen. v

Attached to the upper end of the tubing there is a tubing head 4 which may have the outflow line, or discharge line, 5 leading outwardly there- 75 from.

A pressure line l6,v for the lifting fluid may be l located so as to extend down into the tubing to the required depth with its lower end usually above the screen 2 and abo've the back'pressure valve 3 if the latter is used. f

This pressure line has a fluid tight t, through the casing head 4 and may be equipped with the pressure gauge 7 if desired. y

The pressure line 6 may have any desired num- 85 ber of short sections, vor tubular inserts, as 8 incorporatedtherein, and spaced approximately a uniform distance apart and each insert 8 has one or more valve mechanisms therein which will now so be described. Each valve mechanism includes a f valve tube 9 through the wall of the insert 8 and whose outer and inner ends are flared forming the valve seats 10 and 11. Each tube 9 has an internal spider 12 having a' bearing 13 through which the valve stem 14 may slide axially with respect to the corresponding tube 9. Each stem 14 has an outer valve 15 and an inner valve 16 xed thereto whoseinner sides are beveled to 'conform to the shape of and to flt against the corresponding valve seats 10 and 11. Surrounding each stem 14 and interposed between the corresponding spider 12 and inner .valve 16 there is a strong coil spring 17,- the springs ofthe valves of the lower insert Sbeing stronger than those of the valves above.

The lower end of the pressure line 6 is closed, .105

f and surrounding the outer ends'of the valve tubes V 'other fluid in the well will thus be excluded from the line 6 while it is being lowered. When the pressure line is lowered to the required depth all of the valves will be submerged beneath the level of the oil in the well. Pressure fluid, such as gas or air may now be introduced into the line 6 and it will cause the upper valves 15 to open rst for the reason that these valves are subjected to the least pressure from the oil in the well, being located nearer the oil level than the other valves beneath. The lifting fluid will then pass out through the upper tubes 9 and will lift the oil above out through the tubing 1 and discharge line 5. As this oil is lifted from the well the oil level in the well will be lowered beneath said upper valves 15 and the outside pressure against said upper valves 15 will thus be decreased and the continued pressure of the lifting fluid within the line 6 will now operate to close the upper valves 15 which will be held closed by the pressure of the lifting fluid in line 6. The next succeeding valves 15 -will now be opened by the pressure of the lifting fluid in line 6 by reason of the fact that the outside pressure of the well fluid against said valves has been decreased. The lifting fluid willl now escape through the corresponding tubes 9 and the oil will again be discharged from the well lowering the level of said oil in the well and gradually decreasing the outside pressure against said open valves 15 until said pressure and the pressure of the corresponding springs 17 are overcome and the corresponding valves 16 will now close said tubes 9. The pressure of the operating fluid in the line 6 will now operate to open the lower valves 15 and to hold the valves 16 above closed. The lifting, or operating, fluid passing through the line 6 will now operate to lift the next succeeding head of oil, as before and discharge it from the i well, and when 4the outside pressure decreases sufficiently the pressure of the fluid in the line 6 will close the lower valves 16. The springs 1'7 tending to open the lower valves 16 are made strongerA than those of the other valves above and when the lower valves 16 are closed the level 'of the oil in the well will begin to rise and submerge the lower valves and the outside pressure, `assisted by the corresponding springs 17, will tend to open said `lower valves 16 and the pressure in the line 6 may be decreased sufficiently to permit said lower valves 16 to open and the operating fluid will now escape through said opened valves and discharge another head of oil. Thereafter the lower valves will alternately open and close, as above stated, to discharge the oil from the well in successive heads.

From the foregoing it is obvious that high pressure lifting fluid will not be required -for the reason lthat the well fluid is started to ow in stages, or heads, and after the operation is started only a predetermined head is permitted to accumulate before it is eievated and discharged from the well.

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a pressure line adapted to be lowered into a well and having passageways spaced apart along the line and double acting valves for controlling said passageways and normally held closed to prevent the inlet of the fluid from the well.

` 2. Apparatus for removing fluid from the wells comprising a pressure line 'adapted to be-lowered into a well and having its lower end closed, said line having outlet passageways spaced apart longitudinally therealong, double acting outlet valve means arranged to be successively openedA and then closed by the pressure of an operating fluid in the line.

3. Apparatus for removing uid from wells comprising a pressure line adapted to be lowered into a well and having its lower end closed and having outlet passageways spaced apart longitudinally therealong, valve means subject to the pressure of the well fluid and controlling said passageways, means assisted by said pressure and normally holding the valve means closed against the entrance of fluid from the well into said line, said valve means being subject to the pressure of an operating fluid in said line and being formed to be opened and then closed by said pressure.

4. Apparatus for removing fluid from Wells comprising a pressure line adapted to be lowered into a well and having outlets spaced apart longitudinally along said line and closed beneath the lower outlet, valve means for controlling each outlet, each valve means including an outer valve arranged to be closed by pressure outside of the line and an inner valve rigidly connected to the outlet valve arranged to be closed by the pressure of an operating fluid in the line.

5. Apparatus for removing uid from wells comprising a pressure line adapted to be lowered into a well and having outlets spaced apart longitudinally along said line and having its lower end closed, valve means for controlling each outlet. each valve means including an outer valve arranged to be held closed by pressure outside of the line, to exclude the entrance of the well fluid into said line, and an inner valve connected to the outer valve and arranged to be closed by the pressure of an operating fluid in the line, resilient means normally tending to hold the outer valve closed and the inner valve open.

6. Apparatus for removing lfluid from wells comprising a pressure line adapted to be lowered into a well, tubes through the wall of said line spaced apart longitudinally alongthe line, each tube having an outer and an inner valve seat, an. outwardly opening valve arranged to control said outer seat, an inwardly opening valve arranged to control said irmer seat, means connecting said outer and inner valves which prevents their independent movement and means closing the line beneath the lowermost tube.

7. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a pressure line adapted to be lowered into a well, tubes through the wall of said line spaced apart longitudinally along the line, each4 tube having an outer and an inner valve seat, an outwardly opening valve arranged to control said outer seat and whose maximum area is exposed to the pressure of the well fluid,N an inwardly opening valve arranged to control said inner seat;` means connecting said outer and inner valves which prevents their independent movement, and yieldable means normally holding the inner valve p open and the outer valve closed.

8. Apparatus for removing fluid from wellsilw into a well, tubes through the wall of said linespaced apart longitudinally along the line, each tube having an outer and an inner valve seat, an outwardly/.opening valve arranged to control said outer seat, an inwardly opening valve arranged to control said inner seat, means connecting said outer and inner valves which prevents their ndependent movement, a spring Withineach tube normally holding the inner valve open andthe outer valve closed and a perforated hood forming a shield around and spaced from the outer end of each tube.

9. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a tubular pressure line having elongated, radial passageways adjacent the lower end of the line and spaced apart longitudinally along said line, an outwardly opening and an inwardly opening valve associated with each passageway, means connecting said valves to prevent their independent movement, yieldable means normally tending to hold the outwardly opening valve in position to close said passageway and the inwardly opening valve in position to open said passageway, said valves being exposed to the pressure of an operating fluid in said line whereby their positions may be reversed the resistance of the lower yieldable means exceeding that of those above.

10. Apparatus for removing uid from wells comprising a pressure line having openings spaced apart longitudinally along the line, means closing the line beneath the lower opening, valve means controlling each opening, each valve means being formed to be subjected to the pressure of an operating fluid in said line whereby said openings may be opened and then closed successively from above downwardly by the operating fluid moving in a constant direction.

11. The methodof removing a fluid from a wellA which consists in introducing a confined column of an operating uid, under pressure, into a well A and initially introducing said operating fluid into the Well fluid in successive stages from above'` vwell fluid will b e discharged by heads and finally introducing said operating fluid, intermittently, into, the well uid at a lower level and excluding the operating fluid from the well uid at higher levels.`

. JOI-1N T. SIMMONS. 

